©The Archaeological Settlements of Turkey - TAY Project

Foça

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Foça
Type:
 City
Altitude:
 m
Region:
 Aegean
Province:
 Izmir
District:
 Foça
Village:
 Merkez
Investigation Method:
 Excavation
Period:
 Archaic

     

Location: The ancient city of Phokaia is situated in the Foça District of Izmir. The modern Foça District was built on the ancient settlement, and it is connected to Izmir, which is the nearest metropolis, by a 72 km long motorway [Erdogan 2003:50].
Geography and Environment: The city constitutes the northern section of Izmir and the gulf of Izmir. The district is surrounded by Manisa to the east, Gulf of Çandarli and Aliaga to the north, Menemen and the mouth of the Gediz River spilling into the Aegean Sea to the south, and the gulf of Izmir. The settlement area of the city is located on the promontory and the land to the east of this promontory. The high hills lying to the east, northeast and north provide a natural protection for the ancient city. The eastern section of the city walls were built on these hills. The city has similar characteristics to the other Ionian cities that were founded on the sea shore. The people of Phokaia were said to be involved in seafaring due to the location of the city [Erdogan 2003:50].
History:
Research and Excavation: The first excavations were conducted in the ancient city of Phokaia under the direction of F. Sartiaux. These excavations started in 1913 and continued with three campaigns until 1920 [Erdogan 2003:56]. The excavations were resumed in 1951 under the direction of E. Akurgal and continued uninterruptedly until 1955, and then at intervals until 1974 [Erdogan 2003:57]. The third and last campaign started in 1989 and it is still ongoing. They were conducted between 1989 and 1992 on behalf of the Izmir Archaeological Museum under the scientific direction of Ö. Özyigit, and they have been still ongoing under Özyigit [Erdogan 2003:57].
Stratigraphy: The excavations resumed at Phokaia focused on the hill on the side of the motorway to the west of the Çifte Kayalar Hill. These excavations yielded a Roman Period pottery dump site on the uppermost level, immediately followed by a Classical Period level, which is 3.5 m high above the sea level along with some sherds dating to the Late Geometric and Archaic Period [Özyigit 1991:129]. The excavations that took place in the Ismetpasa Quarter of Foça in plate 23, island 1069, plot 1 yielded a modern deposit down to a depth of 30 cm from the ground surface, followed by the Roman Period sherds between the depths of 1.2 and 1.6 m, and the Hellenistic Period sherds which are located between the depths of 0.91-1.16 m, and then black burnished pottery of the Classical Period and a small number of Archaic Period pottery between 0.79-0.91 m [Özyigit 2000:37].
Small Finds: Architecture: Protogeometric Oval Houses: The excavations were conducted in 2003 at the Atatürk Quarter, island 1577, plot 4. As a result, two oval houses were unearthed that belong to Protogeometric Period. The oval house II is located on the eastern section of the blacksmith workshop. The Sub-Mycenaean amphora found on the floor of the blacksmith workshop dates the end of the workshop, while it also shows that the oval house was built after this dated as it was found under the floor of the house II. Thus, it should have been built shortly after the blacksmith workshop which was dated to the late 11th century BC. Based on similar masonry of the walls of the oval house I and the oval house II, they should have been of the same period [Özyigit 2005:44-45]. Both oval houses face southwards, and both have hearths adjacent to the interior eastern wall. Traces of mudbricks and remains have been very poorly preserved in that section. It appears that the houses had a mudbrick superstructure on a stone foundation. Iron Workshop: The blacksmith workshop presumably belonging to the late 11th century BC was unearthed in 2003 at block 1577, parcel 4 in the southern section of the parcel. Due to the amount of iron slag obtained in this area the building was believed to have been an iron workshop. The horseshoe shaped hearths of the workshop were placed on a semi-circular terrace. The terrace is delimited by a pretty wide wall to the north. Futher blacksmith workshops were also uncovered to the north of the terrace at lower sections. It in open-air workshop. Underneath its floor, some Mycenaean amphora sherds from the middle phase of Late Hellas IIIC period were unearthed. Based on this, the workshop should have been built immediately after this period in the early 11th century BC. An in situ amphora unearthed below the workshop floor was dated to the Sub-Mycenaean Period. Thus, it seems that the workshop was founded around the early 11th century BC, and used until the end of this century [Özyigit 2005:44]. Archaic and Classical Period Settlements at Phokaia: A 1.4 m long early Archaic Period wall was unearthed during the excavations conducted in 189th street at Fevzipasa Quarter in 1993. With a thickness of 36 cm, the wall was built by binding the middle size, irregular stones using the soil as a mortar. The highest point of the wall has an altitude of 1.94 m. Its height has been preserved over 1 m. Based on the sherds, it appears to date to the 7th century BC [Özyigit 1995:433]. Two more walls dated to 6th century BC and Classical Period were also unearthed in the same trench. The south wall belongs to the second settlement level and was dated to 6th century BC. It is approximately 3.5 m long, 46.5 cm thick. The preserved height is 1.25 m and soil was used as mortar to keep the stone bloccks together [Özyigit 1995:433]. There is another wall immediately north of this wall, which is approximately 5.5 m long, 48-49 cm thick and dated to Classical Period. Its preserved height is approximately 1.35 m. It lies in east-west direction and makes a curve in south direction. Although its style is similar to the style of the 6th century BC wall in its south, some of its characteristics are different. For instance it is somewhat larger than the 6th century BC wall and all its stones are larger than the 6th century wall's stones. This wall which belongs to Classical Period building level, is dated to the same period as the first building level at the bottom of all. The floor was built of compressed light colored tuff stone crumbs and dust. Sherds that belong to the second half of 6th century BC were found underneath the floor. Accordingly the Classical Period wall should belong to the first half of 5th century BC [Özyigit 1995:433-434]. It is assumed that this Classical Period building level has been used a very long period of time due to discovery of three floors adjacent to this wall. Level I is the floor mentioned above where the Archaic Period material was unearthed below, and it is situated at an altitude of 1.31 m. The floor level II is at an altitude of 1.81 m altitude and the building expands, in this phase, onto southern section to partially break the Archaic Wall, and it surpasses this wall. Both Archaic and Classical Period material was unearthed in the area between two floors (1.31 and 1.81 m). Besides, a hearth was found on level II therefore level II floor is in red. The horseshoe-shaped hearth, was built of irregular stones and broad tile fragments were found on its floor. The hearth faces the south direction and its floor sits on the Classical Period floor [Özyigit 1995: 433-434]. The excavations conducted in 189th street at Fevzipasa Quarter in 1993 took place in the large area immediately next to this street. A 2.1 m long Archaic Period wall was unearthed at this section in trenches I 8 and H 8. Besides, other Archaic Period walls were found in trench H 6, which are lined with trenches I 8 and H 8 [Özyigit 1997:2-3]. Again Classical Period walls were found in the trenches I 7 and I 8 in the same section. Based on the sherds unearthed, the walls that lie in north-south direction were dated to 5th century BC. The Classical Period walls are 52-53 cm thick, and their foundations are approximately 60 cm thick. The best preserved height of the walls is 65 cm. The Classical Period masonry is different than Archaic Period. The walls of the Archaic Period were built using 20-30 cm long, 10-30 cm high stones in various forms and dimensions. The 5th century BC walls were made of 30-35 cm long, 5-10 cm high flat stones [Özyigit 1997:2-3]. Megaron type of buildings that belong to Archaic Period; to the second half of and late 7th century BC, were found during excavations conducted in the Atatürk Quarter at block 1577, parcel 4. The ratio of this south facing megaron's width to its length is similar to the megaron found in the northern sections of Phokaia in 1995. Besides that, the southern section of megaron's unexcavated long west wall was found in the large megaron building. The megaron building unearthed in 1996 contained a thin burnt layer level I floor. This suggests the first phase of the megaron was terminated through a fire disaster. The level II floor of the megaron building was composed by placing small plates side by side on stone filling in the southwest corner [Özyigit 2003:342]. Oval Temples: The oval temples were discovered in 2004. These temples located in the west of the best podium wall of the Temple of Athena were exposed in 2008. In 2012, the excavations were carried out in order to get detailed information about the temples. 6 oval structures were found in the triangle shaped area that is located between the west podium wall of the Temple of Athena and Geneose-Ottoman city wall. It is possible that all of these structures had functioned as temples. The structures faces to the west or northwest. The back sections lean on a rock mass. The temples are recpectively dated to the second half of the 2nd millennium BC, the mid 2nd millenninum BC, LBA and Protogeometric Period. The earliest temples are thin and long. In Protogeometric Period, on the other hand, they were expanded and formed in pear-shape. All of the temples extend in the east-west direction. The Temple no. VI, which is located in the uppermost layer, might have been surrounded by wooden columns. The bases are made out of tuff. Three building levels were identified in the temples remained under the fill belonging to the Archaic Temple of Athena. The building level I (Late Protogeometric Period-8th century BC) has two phases. The first phase (Late Protogeometric Period-the first half of the 8th century BC) yielded a structure built behind the columns that surround the oval temple. The north wall extending in the east-west direction measures 2 m long and its width is 40-45 cm. The east wall reaching in the north-south is 1.40 m long and 35-40 cm wide. The room is entered by the peristasis of the oval temple. There is a door with a width of 80 cm in the east of the wall. In second phase (the second half of th 8th century BC), the wall belonging to the first phase continued to be used and the main entrance was moved to the west section. The floor level was raised. The floor was paved with tuff stone slabs. In the building level II (the end of the 8th century BC-the first half of the 7th century BC), the walls belonging to the building level I continued to be used and new walls were added. A hearth measuring 80x80 cm was exposed in the east. The building level III (the second half of the 7th century BC) represent the last building level before the construction of the Temple of Athena. Some parts of the wall belonging to the building level I and II and the hearth were preserved in this building level. A new room was added to the south section [Özyigit 2014]. The Temple of Athena: The remains of the Temple of Athena were found during the excavations conducted by E. Akurgal between 1951-55 on a rocky area on the end point of the peninsula. A large number of Archaic Period architectural fragments were found during the excavations conducted in the environs of the school, which was founded on the Athena Temple. Among them are pedestals, columns, capitals and superstructure remains. The temple was built using the Phokaia (tuff) stone during the second quarter of the 6th century BC. Although destroyed by Persians, it was rebuilt towards the end of the same century [Akurgal (E) 2000:291]. The excavations at the temple were later resumed under the direction of Ö. Özyigit. Temple's west podium wall and the southwest corner of this wall were unearthed during the 1998 campaign. In addition to these, the column drums made of tuff and fragments of the architectural elements from the Roman Period were unearthed [Özyigit 2000:34]. During the following campaign seasons tuff architectural elements were also unearthed [Özyigit 2001:2; Özyiğit 2003:337]. The studies started after the school is demolished in 2009 [Özyiğit 2011.385]. In the excavations carried out in areas in the West of the West podium, cella blocks that carry griffons and horse protoms are captured in situ. The width of peristasis foundation bed traces carved in rocks is approximately 1.40 m. The stylobat length of the Archaic Period Temple is determined as 100 feet and it is believed to be a hekatompedon [Özyiğit 2011:390]. It has been discovered that the wall which was found during the 2010 excavations carried out in the first south trench in the temple are contemporary with Archaic Period Temple. These walls were the terrace walls related with the worship ceremony and the south podium wall of the temple [Özyigit 2012:482]. Kybele Sacred Place: The rocky hill where Athena Temple was built was the Kybele Sacred Place. Round and rectangular shaped libation holes carved in rock in a variety of sizes are encountered after removing the school structure. The existence of such holes shows that Kybele was worshipped during the Geometrical Ages before Athena Temple. This place of worship is moved down and Harbour Sacred Area is created during 600 BC when it remained under the new project (Athena Temple Project) [Özyiğit 2011.390]. Incir Island (Bakkheion) Sacred Area I: A sacred area with a semi-circular plan was unearthed on the seashore during the 1998 campaign. There is a profile relief of Kybele depicted sitting on her throne in a rectangular niche on the smoothed surface of the rock at the center of the sacred area. The stylistic characteristics of the relief indicate the Archaic Period. The elaborately worked rock surface of the sacred area makes strong angled curves to compose an almost semi-circular plan. The holes on the rectangular and round shaped wooden beams on the rock surface that compose the rear side of the sacred area suggest that the top of the area was closed [Özyigit 2000:34-35]. Southern Necropolis and Area of Altars: Roman Period wall remains and two Archaic Period buildings, all with an elaborate masonry were unearthed in the 11th Street of the Atatürk Quarter and in Sevgi Quarter during the 1998 campaign. The Archaic building #1 measures 6.09x5.08 m in dimensions, and it has a rectangular plan. The second Archaic building lying 0.4 m to the east of the latter has also a rectangular plan and an elaborate masonry. The masonry of both buildings is similar to those observed on the city walls of Phokaia and the podium wall of the Temple of Athena dated to 590-580 BC. It suggests that all these buildings were erected during the same period. Besides, the sherds found around the two buildings and the ones collected in the 0.4 m long area between two buildings belong to Archaic Period [Özyigit 2000:38-39]. Both buildings face the north and they are presumed to be altars. A necropolis area was unearthed to the east of the Archaic buildings, which was used between the Archaic and Roman periods [Özyigit 2000:38-39]. Twentyfour graves were found in this area between 1998-99. The graves mainly belong to the Archaic Period and they are rich in burial gifts. Four disturbed sarchophagi presumably dating to the Archaic Period were unearthed during the 2000 campaign in this area. Furthermore, 8 pithoi and amphorae burials were found. It was found that they all contained cremated burials [Özyigit 2003:337]. Grave: Burials were encountered in trenches A 3-6 during the excavations started in 1989. Seven graves dating to the Hellenistic Period were unearthed in this section. Five of them were sarcophagi, one was a tile burial and one was simple earthen burial [Özyigit 1991:129-137]. A total of 24 graves were unearthed during the excavations conducted between 1998-99. Most of them belong to the Archaic Period, including tuff sarcophagi, amphora and terracotta vessel type of graves. Twelve more graves were found in 2000 [Özyigit 2003:337]. The earliest grave found during the excavations was unearthed in 1999. It was found approximately 1 m to the east of the east altar. There is a wall encircling the grave between the tuff sarcophagus that lies in north-south direction and the altar. Finds of Egyptian, Eastern Greek and Corinthian origins made of faïllance, terracotta and glass were found both inside and outside the grave [Özyigit 2001:4]. Pottery: Mostly the pottery of the 7th century BC and a small number of the 8th century BC sherds were found inside the original deposit in the podium area of the Temple of Athena. Most of them belong to the Orientalizing Period [Özyigit 2001:2]. Besides them, some Late Geometric, Proto-Corinthian, Archaic and Classic Period sherds were unearthed. Among the Archaic Period pottery are Orientalizing samples, and also samples of black burnished sherds among the Classical Period pottery [Özyiğit 1991:129]. An assemblage was unearthed on the floor II of a Classical Period building level in 1993 during the excavations conducted in 189th street. Among them are a double handle cylindrical vessel, a maltese, a Kos amphora and a jug [Özyigit 1995:434-435]. The City Wall: Archaic Period city wall has been exposed two different places of the city. The walls named "Herodotus Walls" were discovered during the construction of Governorship Building in 1990.These walls which were found together with the city gate and its brace are dated to 590-580 BC. The podium walls of Archaic Period Temple have similar style as well [Özyigit 2012:483].
Remains:
Interpretation and Dating: The earliest material of the ancient city of Phokaia were unearthed in the Atatürk Quarter block 1577, parcel 4, which is relatively a small parcel [Özyigit 2005:45]. Again this parcel yielded buildings from earlier periods. The 1998 campaign revealed that the Archaic Period settlement of Phokaia was not limited by the peninsula, but spreaded onto a very large area to the south of the ancient city [Özyigit 2000:39].


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